Locking mechanism for doors



Jan. 1, 1924 c. c. TOMKINSON LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DOORS I Filed July 23',

- A Svwentoz C/mr/es C. Ybm/r/hqwz abi me Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

UNITEDYS'TAIES PATENEF CHARLES CITOMKINSOLLOF PLAiNFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR "r JOHN EDWARD OGDEN; or MOUNTAINVILLE, NEW YoaK.

LOCKING" MECHANISM ro a nooas.

Application filed July 23, 1921. Serial No. 486,975.

Be' it known that I, GHARLESC. ToMK-I sort, a citizen'of theUnit/ed. States, and a resident of Plainfield, county of: Union, and

State of NeW-Jersey,-,have invented certain new; and; useful Improvements in Locking Mechanism for Doors, of which the. following is;a specification. 2

This invention. relates to doors and more particularly; to latchingor locking mechanisni f0r:doors. V i j The invention hereinaftergdescribedj has beenparticularly worked out for use in connection with largedoorsfof the: sectional type such as are used for closinglarge-openings in pier .sheds,'warehouse's andlike structures.

Doors Lef thisjcharacterare-subjected to' se-.

vere. win-drpressure1and to other severe stresses-and strains; and therefore must be so constructedand-mounted as to withstand suchunusual stresses. -1.-.

One'of the objects of this invention is to provide. a sectional door :havingmeans forstiffening or strengthening the door against 2 wind. pressure; v

Another-object-of thein-venti'on is to pro-- vide door -latching-mechanism that will be positive and fsn-appy? inits action.

Another'object'of the. invention is to pro ingmovement of the door and reset for snapping action, by the continued opening move-- ment as the section-breaks away from the jamb. 7 Another object of the invention is to provide .a=construction-. of latching mechanism which is simple constructionand may: be economically manufactured and-. further to providamcans. for adjus'ting'the latch for its mostrefficient -o eratiion. 5O

lowing specificationr it.

In the ,embodlmentszof; the invention illus trated the above: objects-"are attained" by a latch preferablyipivoted and resiliently 1 ac- 1 tuated'LaRd adapted'tor. engage the-upper'door.

Further objects will appear from the folsection when this section isin its closed position and to firmly retain the section against the lintel or jambof the door opening. 'Releasmfg means in the form of a strip, preferably resilient, is carried by the lower door section and is adapted to engage and release the latch when the lower section has-been raised to a position in which it overlies the upper section and before the sections are swung inwardly or away from the vertical.

-Referring to the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of a sectional, door provided with a latch constructed in accordance withmy inven-' tion.

shows the; relation of the parts when on the closing" movement, the two sections have F ig; 2 is a view similar'toFig. 1, which returned to the'jamb and before any down wardmovement of lower door. section has occurred.- 1 r Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and .Flg. 4 isra sectional elevation of anothe embodiment of the invention.

In the'drawingsthe upper portion of the upper door section is shown at 10 and the upper portion of the lower sectionis shown 1 at 11 and the lower section is provided with a flange 12 which slides in an overlapping flange 13 carried by the upper section. The wall of the building structure is shown at 14: 21I1Cl achannel iron 15 forms a lintel or header of thedoor openingj v V For a more completeshowingof-the door" sections and the operating mechanism, attention is directed to Patent No. 1,282,113 Ogdenet a1., October 22, 1918. It willbe understood without further showing or de scription that the door section 11 is raised vertically. to a position in which it overlies the upper section 10 whereupon these sec-' tions will be swung'laterally, inwardly, in unison, to an inclined or horizontal position. The latching mechanism therefore must be so constructed that it will retain the dooryin closedposition-and against wind pressure butwill release the door when the' sections are to be swung inwardly to their fully opened position and furthermore will be in latching position upon the return of the sections.

Referringto Figs. 13 inclusive, I have shown a latch comprising a member 16 pivoted on a pin 17 carr ed y bracket .18 8-- cured to the wall 14. The member 16 has formed thereon or secured thereto an upwardly extending big 19 and a fiat spring 20 is secured to the bracket 18 and engages the lug thereby forcing the pivoted member downwardly. The member 16 at the other side of its pivot has also formed thereon a lug 21 which is screw-threaded and receives a threaded adjusting screw or bolt 22. The inner end of the screw 22 is adapted to engage a flange 23 formed on the bracket 18 and a lOC'li nut 24 retains the member 22 in adjusted position. By turning the member 22the member 16 will be swung on its pivot and the normal position of the member 16 will be varied, to adapt it to variations in structure.

The latch member 16 is offset as shownat 25 and intermediate its end and the ofiset portion is inclined as shown at 26, the eX- treme end portion being substantially fiat or horizontal as shown at 27. The upper door section 10 has secured thereto an upwardly extending bracket or keeper 28 adapted to be engaged by the offset portion 25 of the latch 16. I

In order to release the latch the lower section 11 has secured to its top a strip or tripper 29, resilient and offset at its upper end, as shown at 29. i

The operation of the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may be described briefly as follows: Assuming that the upper sec tion is in'closed' position as shown in Fig. l, the latch 16 will engage the bracket 28 and firmly hold this section against the lintel 15. WVhen, however, the door is opened and the lower section 11 is raised the strip 29 will engage the end 27 of the latch and will raise the latch to the dotted line position (Fig. 1) whereupon the door sections may be swung I laterallyiinwardly to inclined or horizontal position. As the door sections swing inwardly, tripper 29 is withdrawn from latch 16, which by the action of the spring 20, drops into a position determined by the adjustment of the screw 22 and is then ready to engage keeper 28 on the return movement of the door. After the engagement, the position of the parts is as shown in Fig. 2.

Thus the latch is unhindered in its return movement to latching position by the releasing strip and the operation is snappy and quick due to the absence of any friction or engagement between the latch and releasing strip.

In Fig. 4 a modified form of latching mechanism is illustrated and in this con struction the latch is carried by a bracket 30 secured to one of the side posts or to the sidewall, 14 of the door opening. In'this construction a latch 31 is pivoted at 32 to the bracket and a pair of adjustable stops 33 and 34 similar to the stop 22 limit the upper and lower movement] of the latch .in closed position, it wi against the lintel 15 of the door by the latch 31 but when'thelower s'ection is raised the about the pivot. The stop 33prevents an overthrow of the latch as the door slammed against the jamb. A spring 35 engages a lug 36 on the latch and presses the latch downwardly.

The upper door section 10 has an opening 37 therein through which the latch 31 adapted to extend and a slotted bracket 38 is secured to the" section and forms an abutment for the latch. As in the other struc ture the latch 31' lltSjLII- ofi'set portion 39 adapted to en a'ge the bracket '38 and has also an incline portion 41 adjacent its etc.

substantially at right angles to the main portion of thislstr'ipi Thec'onstruction shown in Fi 4 operates as follows. 6

When'the' u per door section is llibe 'firrnly locked end 44 of the resilient strip 45 will'engage the portion 41 of' the latch and will'raise thelatch to its upper limit of'movement determined by the stop 33' thereby releasing the door sections for their lateral or inward. movement. 'When the sections are swung laterally the upper section 10 will -1n'ove away from the latch and the latch will move through the opening 37'. Upon the return ofthe door sectionsfrom' their openposition the latch will enter the-opening 37 and the invention have been particularly illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of further modification and that changes in the construction andin the arrangement of the ee operating parts may be made without departing from the spirit o'r'scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is I 1. TA door comprising a plurality of Wu tically and laterally movable sections, latch for locking the upper section in closed position, and means carriediby a lower s ection for releasing the latch upon theopening'movement of the said lower section said releasing means and latchbeing so relatively constructed and arranged that the latch wiil a of said lower section.

2. A door comprising a plurality of vertically and laterally movable sections, a latch for locking the uppersection closed position, adjacent stops for limiting the I movement of said latch, and means carried by a lower sectlon for releasing the latch upon the opening movement of the said lower section said releasing means and latch being so relatively constructed and arranged that the latch will snap into closed position on the upper section when said section closed and said releasing means will clear the latch as said latch is closed and upon return movement of said lower section.

3. A door comprising a plurality of vertically and laterally movable sections, a latch for locking the upper section in closed position, and resilient means carried bya lower. section for releasing the latch upon the opening movement of the said lower section and adapted to engage a portionof the upper surface of and to spring over the latch upon the return movement of the said lower section.

4.. A door comprising a plurality of vertically and laterally movable sections, a latch for the upper section, said section having an opening through which the latch is adapted to project when the door is closed and means carried by a lower section and adapted to engage and release the latch when the door is opened. 7

5. A door comprising a plurality of vertically and laterally movable sections, a pivoted latch for the upper section, said section having an opening through which the latch is adapted to project when the door is closed and means carried by a lower section and adapted to engage and release the latch when the door is opened.

6. A door comprising a plurality of vertically and laterally movable sections, a

pivoted, resiliently actuated latch for the upper section, said section having an opening through which the latch is adapted to project when thedoor is closed and means carried by a lower section and adapted to engage and release the latch when the door is opened.

7. A door comprising a plurality of vertically and laterally movable sections, a latch for the upper section, said section having an opening through which the latch is adapted to project when the door is closed and resilient means carried by a lower sec tion and adapted to engage and release the latch when the door is opened.

8. A door comprising a plurality of vertically and laterally movable sections, a latch for the upper section, said section having an opening through which the latch is adapted to project: whenfthe door is closed, means carried-by lower-section and adapted to engage andrelease the'latch when the door is opened,- and-adapted to engage and move the latchtoilockingposition when the said lower section is closed.

.. 9. A door comprising-a plurality ofiver tically and laterallymovable sections, a latch for the upper section, said section having an opening through which the latch is adapted to project when the door is closed, means for limiting the opening and closing movement of said latch and means carried by a lower section and adapted to engage and release the latch when the door is opened- 10. A doorcomprising a plurality of sections arranged to overlap one another and swing inwardly and upwardly, a pivoted.

latch adapted to lock the upper section in closed position, means carried by a lower section adapted to release the latch, means for returning the latch to locking position after the sections have been swung inwardly,

and adjustable means for limiting the return movement of the latch.

resiliently closed, latch adapted to lock the upper section in closed position, means car- 'ried by a lower section adapted to release the latch, said means supplementing the re- 1 silient latch closing means in snapping the latch to locking position after the sections have been swung inwardly.

12. A door comprising a plurality of sec tions arranged to overlap one another'and swing inwardly and upwardly, a pivoted latch adapted to lock the upper section in closed position and resilient means carried by a lower section and having an ofiset end portion adapted to engage and release the latch as the lower section is raised, said end portion only engaging the latch after said latch has been closed upon the return movement of the lower section.

I 13. A door comprising a plurality of sec-' tions arranged to overlap one another and swing inwardly and upwardly, a pivoted latch adapted to lock'the upper section in closed position and resilient means carried by a lower section and having an oii'set end portion only adapted to overlap the end of the latch and adapted to engage and release the latch as the lower section is raised.

14. A door comprising a plurality of sections arranged to overlap one another and swing inwardly and upwardly, a pivoted latch adapted to lock the upper sectionin closed position and a single piece, resilient member carried by a lower section and hav ing an offset endportion adapted to engage and release the latch as the lower section is raised, 7 I

15. A door comprising a plurality of vertical plane passing through the free end tically and laterally movable sections, a latch 0f the latch and having an oifset end portion '10 for locking the upper section in closed posidap d v rl pth End Of hela ch. 7 tion, and means carried by a lower section #111 wltllesis whereof havehel'euntvoset 5 for releasing the latch upon the opening y hand 131113 19th y of J 3 5 1921- movement of the said lower section, said re- I I CHARLES C. TOMKINSON. leasing means comprising an upright por- Witness: p 7 tion disposed in a plane spacedfrom a ver- I. B. MOORE, 

